


Honeymoon

by AnnieVH



Series: Behind Closed Doors [25]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Abusive Relationships, F/M, Rumbelle - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-19
Updated: 2015-03-19
Packaged: 2018-03-18 14:13:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 887
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3572627
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnnieVH/pseuds/AnnieVH
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes, Milah is nice to him.<br/>Set between “The Unexpected Volunteer” and “Old Books”.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Honeymoon

**Author's Note:**

> Pairings for this verse: eventual Rumbelle and Swanfire.  
> Warnings for this verse: abusive relationship, implied non-con situations, child-abuse, violence, infidelity, very anti-Milah.
> 
> A HUGE THANKS to Maddie (maddiebonanafana.tumblr.com) who did the beta for this one-shot!

Sometimes, Milah is nice to him to make up for her bad behavior. Rumple is fully aware of it, he's not so naive as to think his wife is always sweet out of love. She is _conveniently_ sweet. But he shouldn't be ungrateful. At least she's making an effort to make things right. Be it by saying she's sorry, by letting him win an argument, or just by complimenting his tie. It still feels good. And at the end of the day, nice is nice, and its a whole lot better than walking on eggshells.

But sometimes, Milah is nice to him for no reason, and that feels even better. It feels hopeful.

She comes home looking exhausted from walking, shopping, or, more recently, volunteering and sits down for dinner with so many stories to tell about her day.

Milah monopolizes the conversation, as it's their usual way, in good days as well as in bad days. But it brings him such peace to hear joy in her voice. She even asks about his antiques and how is the clock going? Did he manage to fix it already?

Rumple talks about it briefly as not to bore her, then tells her of his newest acquisition: an old tea set made of china that will take a lot of work, and he knows she has no interest in it whatsoever. What woman wants to spend dinnertime talking about restoration work and tea sets? But she pretends to care nonetheless because she knows it will make her husband happy. And it does. He doesn't have a lot of people to talk about these things with.

“With all these new treasures, I bet your shop is a mess,” she says, teasing him. “Well, more of a mess than usual.”

“You know me, Milah. I feel better when I'm immersed in chaos,” he replies, gathering plates with her help.

“Belle was quite shocked when I told her I used to catalog the things in the shop. She said it must have been 'quite a task'.”

“Did she?” he asks, amused. “She did seem a bit overwhelmed when she visited. I bet the library will be much more organized.”

Milah waits until he starts washing plates before snaking her arms around him for a hug. “Not everyone can handle my messy little husband.”

Not that he entertains for a moment that she likes the mess he makes in his shop. If anything, it's a constant source of criticism. Milah is the cleanest person he's ever met; if their house is spotless is because of her. But it feels good to hear her claim him as “her messy little husband”, as if the worst part of him is still something to be loved.

It feels good to hear her voice so close to his ear, saying, “I was talking to Belle today and you know what?”

He sighs “What?” and only half pays attention to what she's saying. Her warm breath on his skin is such a rare sensation that it's become distracting, especially when it's this gentle.

Then, dropping her voice to a whisper, she tells him, as if they are sharing a secret, “I think she has a crush on you.”

It's a silly thought. Such a silly thought that he wants to laugh it off, but he knows better. Milah is her most vicious when she's jealous and he can hear a hint of it beneath the amusement in her voice. She might take laughter as a signed confession to adultery and whatever peace they might be having will end in an unnecessary fight.

Instead, he says, “C'mon, that's ridiculous.”

“And why not?” she challenges, and it takes a weight off his heart to hear that her voice is still light and flirty.

“Because she's Bae's age and there are better prospects in town. _And_ I am a married man,” he adds, for good measure.

“Oh, I don't know,” she argues, though it sounds more like she's teasing than accusing him of anything. “She's alone now, and confused, grieving the death of her father. Then, a handsome older man comes to her rescue like that, I don't know. _I'd_ have a crush on you myself.”

She ends her argument by nibbling at a sweet spot on his neck that nearly makes him drop the plate he's washing.

“Darling, you _married_ me,” he says when he catches his breath. “A crush is the very least expected for a successful marriage.”

Milah gives him a girly giggle inside his ear, and watches him finish the dishes with her chin on his shoulder.

Rumple knows his wife. Her silence might be peaceful now, but it is still heavy and full of expectations. When he's done with the washing, he turns to give her a hug and tell her exactly what she wants to hear. “I won't encourage her.”

She's pleased enough with his answer to give him a kiss and thank him for being thoughtful.

“Though I think you're just being silly,” he adds, but she doesn't mind.

“You like me silly.”

“Do I?”

“A lot.” She kisses him again. “I'm your favorite kind of chaos.”

Sometimes, Milah is nice to him. And it's so much easier to love her in those days.

He can only hope that, this time, they will last.

**Author's Note:**

> A list of all one-shots in verse chronological order can be found here: http://annievh.tumblr.com/post/102166515522/behind-closed-doors-warnings-domestic-abuse
> 
> I'm still taking prompts for this verse if anybody wants to send them.
> 
> I'm also doing a ASK MY CHARACTERS (annievh.tumblr.com/ask).


End file.
